Member for South West Coast Roma Britnell says the Labor Party is trying to hide the inconvenient truth about its support of fracking.
During debate on a bill to enshrine the fracking ban in the Victorian Constitution, Ms Britnell called out Labor’s spin.
“There is only one Government that issued licenses for fracking in this state and it was the Bracks Labor Government,” she said.
“Labor are trying to pull the wool over the communities’ eyes, but it is them and only them who has supported fracking for unconventional gas in Victoria.
“It was the Baillieu/Napthine Government that put a moratorium in place on fracking, it is the Liberal and National party in Victoria that has been on the record constantly saying we do not support fracking or unconventional gas in this state.”
Ms Britnell said before she was elected to Parliament and was representing farmers on the United Dairy Farmers of Victoria, she remembered attending numerous meetings with Labor Government appointed scientists.
“They laid out supposed evidence in front of us and wanted us to go back to our communities and tell them fracking was safe,” Ms Britnell said.
“I remember when I reported back what we were told, farmers were livid, they were furious that the Labor Government was prepared to compromise agricultural land and water tables by allowing fracking.
“The Andrews Labor Government has spun this issue to make it look like they are the great protectors of the environment and of farming – when it was them and only them that wanted to frack the country side and actually issued licenses allowing it to happen.
“When it comes to agriculture, this Andrews Government, and Labor Government’s before them, have continually shown they have absolutely no idea and their continued failure to set policy that helps advance farmers and the sector shows that.”
